Scars, Lilies, and Us
by Superb0wl
Summary: On the evening of their first anniversary, Byleth and Lysithea decide to finally consummate their marriage. Their night of passion and intimacy will lead to the revelation of how joined they truly are.


**Warning: Contains minor spoilers for my other fic Chasing the Dawn. Nothing big, but it does give hints here and there.**

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"Here you are, Your Majesty," said Reginald as he handed the king a teapot with steam gently snaking into the air from its spout. "It's still a little hot however, so please be careful." Lucky for both of them, Reginald took the precaution to place a cloth on the teapot's base, shielding the king's hand from the heated porcelain.

"Thank you, Reginald," Byleth answered as a faint smile creased his lips. "You really shouldn't have though. I have my share of experience with preparing tea time for others."

Reginald shook his head as a wider smile came to his lips. "Nonsense. It was my pleasure. It is, after all, His Majesty's first anniversary with Lady Lysithea. You both deserve to relax on this special day, given how hectic your daily schedules are."

Byleth nodded, acknowledging that Reginald had a point. Having been inaugurated King of Fódlan over a year ago there was no shortage of work leading the effort to rebuild the war-torn nation. While many of the lords in the former Kingdom and Alliance were spearheading the efforts in their lands, Byleth was placed in charge of the chaos that had unfolded in the Vestra and Hresvelg territories as they no longer had anyone to claim their respective titles. Lingering loyalists to the late Emperor rebelled against the government being instituted in the country, branding Byleth a false king and Edelgard the rightful ruler Fódlan. They caused no end of unrest in the lordless territories and even dared to enter the lands of the Aegir's and Varley's, only to be put down by Byleth's allies. Along with overseeing the reconstruction of Garreg Mach Palace, reforming the Church of Sothis, and reopening the Officers Academy, there was little free time to be had.

"It smells like honeyed-fruit blend," Byleth commented as he wafted the steam toward his nose. "With a... hint of apple, I believe?"

"Indeed," said Reginald matter-of-factually, "It is my lady's favorite form of the brew, as His Majesty well knows."

"Though she does like to add plenty of sugar to further sweeten it..." Byleth noted with a hint of puzzlement. He would have thought long ago that the added sugar would only make the tea unbearable to drink, yet in all the times his wife added spoonfuls of it she had never once puckered at the taste.

Reginald chuckled to himself. "Lady Lysithea has had her sweet tooth for many years now. I have never once seen her shy away from food or drink no matter how sweet they may be. It reminds me so much back when she was still young, always staring eagerly as I made my confections, her mouth salivating at the scent." He continued to smile fondly as he reminisced about her earlier years.

Byleth said nothing as his mind went to the darker part of Lysithea's past. It was the only part that he really knew of her history as she was reluctant to delve into it, worried where it would inevitably lead to. The brutal experiments that those who slither in the dark put her through, the short and undeserved ends of her siblings, the suffering of her parents. All for the sake of achieving the impossible and placing two Crests within a human body. Even after they had successfully removed them and those responsible for her torture, the flame in his chest still burned fiercely at the thought of what they did to her.

"Ah, apologies Your Majesty," said Reginald pleasantly, "I'm afraid my mind has started to wander."

Byleth shook his head, the smile increasing slightly. "No need. I like hearing about the happier parts of her past."

Reginald clasped his hands behind his back and bowed slightly. "Is there anything else His Majesty requires of me?"

"That will be all, Reginald," Byleth answered flatly. "Thank you. We will see you in the morning." Reginald bowed again before making his way down the stairs back to the ground level of the reception hall. Byleth took a moment to gaze at the teapot. The trail of steam continued to bob and weave into the air, the heat from the liquid inside still hot and warming his hand. Nodding with satisfaction he proceeded out to the star terrace to rejoin his wife for evening tea.

The sun was halfway down the horizon as it painted the sky in marmalade and gold that brought out the fluffy curves of the sparse number of clouds. The hedges that encompassed the terrace were trimmed down to an even level, courtesy of Reginald's dainty skill with clippers. Lily pads floated innocently in the twin pools on either side of the large, circular engraving that gave the solitary location its name. Byleth could not ask for a more picturesque scene even if he wanted to; it looked simply perfect for both he and Lysithea to enjoy what remaining daylight there was of their anniversary.

The woman in question was sitting at a table that had been brought up from a storeroom, draped with a snowy tablecloth that barely hung over the ground and placed in the center of the terrace. A triple-stack of plates with slices of strawberry cake on the bottom, an assortment of cookies in the middle, and chocolate éclairs on top rested in the center. Next to it was a large, ceramic plate that awaited its occupant along with a glass jar full of sugar with a silver spoon protruding out and a small stack of maroon napkins neatly folded. Two smaller, similar plates with porcelain cups were placed in front of both her and where he would sit next to her. All that was missing now was just the king himself.

He crossed over to join her in a calm stride, wishing to maintain their rare moment of tranquility and privacy, and ignoring worldly affairs. They were both dressed in the attire that they wore during the Three House War, with Lysithea in her lavender and white dress with her white tights while he in his black mercenary wardrobe. Both outfits were to complete the sense of nostalgia between them, away from their more royal attire and back into more standard clothing that they wore during their time as leaders of the joint Alliance-Church army. She was sitting upright and poised, smiling radiantly as he came over with the final ingredient. As he approached he soon discovered that her dignified pose belied the eager tapping of her foot hidden behind the tablecloth.

"Here we are, Lysa," Byleth greeted warmly, setting the teapot down on the empty plate, "The final piece of our evening, courtesy of Reginald." He pulled out the empty seat and sat down beside her, his arm mere inches away from her own.

"It was quite nice of him to do this for us," she commented, placing her hands on the edge of the table as she did so. She closed her eyes and breathed in the aroma emitting from the teapot. She hummed as it caress her senses. "Red apple. Definitely Reginald's version of the blend."

She retrieved the teapot and gently poured her cup half-full, leaving Byleth to wonder how she was able to tell what variety it was. Lysithea offered him the teapot and he took it back into his hands to pour his own while she next went for the jar and put spoonful after spoonful of sugar into her cup, raising the tea level to just below the brim. Byleth grimaced as he watched her bring her cup to her lips and quietly sip at her tea, conceding that he may never truly understand how she was able to stomach the taste.

She sighed in contentment as she placed her cup back down and her hands in her lap. "There is nothing quite as relaxing as sharing delicious tea with you, my love. It's enough to forget all of the troubles we have to face on a daily basis." She gazed at him with relaxed eyes and a slight smile as the warmth of her drink spread throughout her body, putting her at ease. She truly enjoyed these seldom quiet moments with him. Even today they were kept busy by negotiations with Brigid and finalizing the reopening of the Officers Academy to welcome in the next year of students. However they retired early for the evening so they could at least enjoy some peace together before their lives resumed tomorrow. She was going to get as much out of this time together as she possible.

"There are times I wonder what we would do if we weren't royalty," he pondered just as he finished filling his cup. He set the teapot down on its plate and brought the tan liquid to his mouth. As the warm, sweet liquid traveled down his throat it was only when it was part-way down did he feel the taste of apple in the back of his throat. He turned his head to meet her gaze and could see the peacefulness in her coral eyes.

"I certainly have!" she perked up at the thought. "I would have wanted to open a sweet shop just like the ones in the city. Baking delicious cakes and cookies and everything else in-between for a living would have been such a joy to do! Especially when we could do it together!"

"I'm not sure how much I could contribute," he admitted as he set his cup back down, chuckling a little at his ineptitude. "I am not as skilled at it as you are."

She placed a hand on his arm and rubbed it slightly. "That's perfectly fine! There would be plenty of time to teach you so that we could both contribute equally!" She looked down momentarily before snickering to herself.

Byleth brow arched at her sudden giddiness. "What is it?"

She shook her head and framed her cup. "Nothing, it's just... you were my professor once before, so having to instruct you on a topic seems so strange after that." She brought her cup to her mouth and sipped at it again.

"I don't know everything," he answered plainly. He reached over to bring the triple-stack plates closer to them, took a napkin, and pulled a sugar cookie out from it. "And it would not be the first time you have taught me something. I have learned a lot from you in politics and economics ever since we began this life of ours. And..." He rested a loving hand on her's, caressing the ring his father had given him years ago. "I have learned what it is like to be in love because of you." The heat of the crest stone grew in intensity, spreading from head to toe his body and bringing a sharp tinge to his cheeks.

Then it was her turn to blush as she looked back into his lime eyes. "I... I'm glad I could help you with that." They stared into each other for a moment or two before Lysithea speedily turned toward the triple-stack, the color of her cheeks brightening further as she did. "I-I forgot I don't like being stared at."

Byleth retracted his hand and huffed in amusement before becoming downtrodden, the flame growing a bit colder. "I'm sorry that I had to take you away from that life and bring you into this."

Lysithea jolted in her seat and swung back around toward him. "No! No need to apologize for that! It's a fanciful thought and nothing more! It's true that our positions demand so much from us, but that's what makes it all the more fulfilling. We're building a better Fódlan for everyone, together. I wouldn't trade that away for anything."

Byleth looked back into her eyes and could read the sincerity across her visage. Their roles did indeed demand a lot out of them, and in the beginning he didn't believe he was the most qualified to run an entire nation. All through his life he had only ever known how to fight and how to formulate plans to minimize or even negate friendly casualties while maximizing chances for victory. Becoming a teacher at the Officers Academy was a huge leap in regards to occupation, but he was teaching students how to fight and defend themselves and so fell within the purview of his expertise. Leading a whole nation through reconstruction and reformation? He was no ruler and even now he still thought he wasn't the best person for the position.

Yet Lysithea made it a much easier burden to bear. While he did have the assistance of others along with her to help make the demands of being a king easier, such as Seteth fulfilling the same role for him as he once did for Rhea, it was Lysithea who offered the emotional support when he needed it. Both were able to give comfort to the other by simply being in each others presence, which they often were. They were not able to relax as often as he would prefer, and while her alternative job seemed to suggest there would be, he had to confess that with how much there was to do every day there wasn't a lack of excitement. He liked to keep himself occupied with work, but he had to always remember to allow time for the two of them to let their hair drop. He wondered how bearable being a king would be if she were not his queen.

He brought a hand to her face and cupped her cheek, eliciting another blush from his queen as her mouth opened slightly from the touch. He then leaned in and brought his lips to hers in a chaste kiss, one that she instantly indulged in. The taste of the tea still lingered on her lips and he had to restrain himself from flinching at the overt sweetness. He pulled away after a few seconds, their noses barely separated as he looked deeply into those beautiful eyes. The flame raged like an inferno yet all he felt was a soothing warmth.

"Neither would I," he muttered as he looked lovingly at her. The color of her cheeks matched her eyes as he spoke. Rather than turn away quickly as before she only smiled warmly at him. She loved it when he looked at her this way. Having been emotionally stunted his whole life it was rare for him to ever display this much before. Ever since they fell in love he had been demonstrating how he felt more and more, little by little. What she felt most proud of was that the biggest displays were solely for her, and they were something she cherished with all her heart for she knew how genuine they were.

Byleth looked at the plain, gold band that adorned his finger and smiled before returning his attention to the morsel in his hand. Lysithea grabbed a napkin and brought a piece of cake over to her side. Both ate away at their deserts in quiet, content for the moment to simply be around one another. It was only after Byleth had finished a second cookie that he decided to resume their conversation.

"Have you received any word from your parents recently?" he asked after she sipped at her tea again to wash away any lingering crumbs in her teeth.

"I have actually!" she replied happily. "They've settled down nicely in the cottage I had built for them, far and away from anything that could trouble them. Reginald informs me that father has quickly grown accustomed to farming and hunting and mother's health is showing great improvement."

Byleth smiled deeply as she recounted the state of her parents. Retiring them was the one thing she had always wanted to do in her life. She might have lived right along with them for the rest of her short life were it not for their efforts to find a way to remove her Crests and thus restore her life to its original longevity. So they hoped. They both knew the truth that they had no way to know for sure until another few years had passed, but it was so buried under their optimism that they never once brought it up. To see her full of hope and thrilled that her life had been given back to her was enough reason to keep unpleasant thoughts from ever being mentioned.

"I'm happy to hear they're doing well," said Byleth after she finished, lowering his cup down after taking another sip. "It's good to know their transition to the farming life is going smoothly."

Lysithea took a couple éclairs with her napkin and set them down. "I will have to thank Leonie for her help the next time we see her. There's only so much you can learn from a book before real experience comes into effect." She popped one of the treats into her mouth and swallowed it with another sip of tea. She brought the teapot back over and filled her cup in the same way as before. She took notice of his cup and saw it was near empty. "Shall I refill your cup, my love?"

"Sure." Lysithea leaned over and poured the still warm drink into his cup until it once more almost reached the brim. She was glad Byleth never once offered to do such a thing for her despite the politeness of the act. It was a wonderful change of pace for someone who had once attended these as a guest. Not only had she wanted to do this for him for some time, but it went beyond the little gestures such as this. They were equals in every way now as husband and wife, and she wanted to care for him as he had and continues to do for her. For her to be the only one to receive all of the support made her feel childish, so in any way she could she wanted to support man who gave her her life back.

"There you are," she said with a smile as she put the teapot back and he nodded in gratitude. She took ahold of her own teacup and they sipped their drinks together followed shortly by them sighing in contentment together. They both looked at each other in surprise before averting their gazes and nervously chuckling at the absurdity of the act.

"S-so have there been any recent letters from the others?" Lysithea asked as she regained her composure, her hands still holding onto her cup.

Byleth perked up himself at the question as if he were hoping she would ask him. "As a matter of fact we've received a message from Ferdinand. It arrived only a few hours ago during our negotiations." Byleth set his cup down and reached into his pocket to produce a thrice-folded parchment with its seal still perfectly intact. "I wanted to find out what news he has for us together, so I haven't read it yet."

"I appreciate that, Byleth," she replied with a smile, happy about his thoughtfulness. "What news does the Duke of Aegir have for us?"

Byleth pulled out the dagger strapped to his belt and carefully cut the seal in half. Sheathing it afterward, he unfolded the parchment and began to study its contents. Lysithea popped the other éclair into her mouth and swallowed before reaching for more and once again refilling her cup.

"Let's see..." Byleth muttered as his eyes darted back and forth. "He says that the rebuilding of his lands are going well and has already begun reforming the Aegir territory. He is..." Byleth squinted at the letters as though he couldn't believe what he was seeing before they widened from being impressed. "Introducing a public school system as a means to uplift commoners."

Lysithea's own eyes widened in surprise at the revelation as she held her cup in place and looked at him. "That's... quite bold of him. All the schools that I know of in Fódlan are all far too expensive for the average person. We may have lowered the requirements to attend the Officers Academy, but even then not everyone will be able to afford it. I think it's wonderful that Ferdinand is doing this for his people."

Byleth pinched his chin and hummed in thought. "It would allow commoners the chance to rise above their status and give them greater life opportunities. Perhaps we should try to introduce something similar for all of Fódlan?"

Lysithea mimicked his action. "It would be an ambitious undertaking, but then the whole point of us rebuilding isn't to return Fódlan to what it was, but rather to transform it into something greater. Giving everyone the opportunity to grow would be another step to accomplishing that! It might even help in devaluing Crests!" The last thought piqued her interest. She knew better than most how burdensome Crests could be and how much stock nobility had placed in them. More often than naught they ruined lives rather than helped, so any opportunity that presented itself that could diminish the desire some had for them was one she wanted to take. With many of their friends now in charge of their respective lands, who either cared little for or were outright disgusted with Crests, implementing a public school system would be met with little resistance. Not that she expected much to begin with. Being rulers of the whole land had its perks after all, but the more people that supported the effort without argument the better.

"I like the sound of that," Byleth responded with a bit of reservation. "However I think we should wait and see how it turns out before we try it for the whole kingdom."

Lysithea nodded decisively. "Agreed. It would not do anyone any good if we were to implement a system that failed within a few years." As much as she wanted to quickly have Crests become a thing of the past, she knew she couldn't rush a new and untested idea. Nor did she have to rush at all, a fact that she was still getting accustomed to. "What else does he have to say?"

Byleth returned his attention to the letter and read it in silence for a moment before humming again. "He says he may have found a qualified candidate for governing Enbarr. He's requesting a visit so he can present him to us."

Lysithea sighed in exhaustion. "That's a relief. If his candidate is good then it will be nice to have someone with a more physical presence there to quell the Loyalists."

"I'll write back to him tomorrow to come as soon as he's able." Byleth continued on with his reading. "The rest of this is news about the family. They recently celebrated their son's first birthday, and Dorothea is already pregnant with their second child. He says she's in good health and they can expect it in the next few months."

At the mention of Dorothea's newest pregnancy Lysithea set her cup back on to its plate. She rest her hands on the edge of the table and stared at her cup downcast. "I see... I'm glad to hear she's doing well."

Byleth raised a curious eyebrow. "You don't sound like it... What's wrong?"

Lysithea continued to stare at her cup in silence. Hearing about the Aegirs already raising and now expanding their family made her remember that she had wanted the same. Initially she did not want to raise a family of her own due to her shortened life expectancy, but once her Crests were gone she had begun giving it second thoughts. Byleth knew of the former and they had never discussed it since. Now those thoughts once again were at the forefront of her mind. The only question was did he feel the same way as she? Did he too want to start a family?

She inhaled deeply and let it out to relax her nerves. There was only one way to find out. She turned in her seat to face him with steadfast eyes.

"Byleth?" she began, "How... how do you feel about having children?"

Byleth blinked. This was not something he was expecting to hear from her and he was unsure as to how to proceed. The idea of raising a family did interest him, to give a child of his own the kind of love and affection that he had lacked throughout his own. Yet he had plenty of concerns to go along with it. Would he even make for a good parent? He was slowly learning how to better express what he was feeling, and while their child would not have the same kind of trouble he had with his emotions, he didn't want their child to be as stoic as he was.

Then there was Lysithea as well. He recalled that she had forgone having children from a conversation they had long before now and never thought twice about bringing it up again. If it was what she wanted then he wasn't going to argue it. Not only that but her body was still recovering from having her Crests removed. She had been making excellent progress since then, especially when Manuela forced her to go on a diet to aid in the recovery process, but would her body be able to handle a pregnancy? The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

He placed the letter flat on the table and rested his arms on the edge. "I... have given it some thought," he answered, planning his words out carefully. "But I thought you said you did not wish to have children?"

Lysithea tightly gripped at the embroidered ends of her dress, but did not break eye contact. "I have, but now that my Crests are gone I've been reconsidering it. Initially it was because I knew I would be forced to leave them no matter how much I didn't want to. I did not want them to grow up without their mother around; I didn't want to abandon them. But that isn't going to happen anymore. I do not have to worry about leaving them so soon. I can raise them and watch them grow into whatever they aspire to be!"

Byleth was slightly taken aback at the sudden passion in her voice. She really must have felt strongly about starting a family. Yet he still had his concerns about her health. "Would your body be all right? We don't know what will happen to you."

Lysithea was touched that he was concerned about her well-being, but every part of her wanted this to happen. To raise and care for a child was a scary prospect, but she would be doing so with the man she loved and it helped to ease her fear. Even if she didn't conceive she wanted to be more intimate with him regardless, to engage in the ultimate union between husband and wife and consummate their marriage that they had spent a year putting off.

"I'm confident I'll be fine," she answered tenderly, "And we have Manuela and many clerics here to monitor me and keep me in good health." She leaned in to take one of his hands and cupped it in both of hers. Her hands felt so very warm and soft on his despite his glove. "Byleth... when you found a way to remove my Crests I knew the dangers it would bring. I could have died during the operation, but thanks to you I'm here, I'm alive, and I'm free to live my life how I wish to. And one thing I wish for is to start a family with you. We don't know what may happen, but I trusted my life to you before; I ask that you trust me with our child's life now."

Byleth's fears washed away as he felt the inferno return and his pulse quickened. How could he refuse when she sounded so sincere? If she was willing to do this, then he was as well. She knew her body better than he did and if she believed she was ready than he wouldn't disappoint her. With so many clerics and even their own physician on standby he shared in her confidence that she would survive this as she had with her operation. He too would be watching over her the whole time, ready to rewind time should anything happen.

"Okay," he answered just as tenderly, putting his remaining hand on top of hers. Lysithea's face lit up at his affirmation and before he knew it she had risen from her seat and straddled his lap. He had never been to this level of closeness before with Lysithea, and her sudden energy took him by surprise. He was inexperienced in the matter, and though he had read up on the subject before, a recollection that caused the flame to pulse in a discomforting wave, never once did he ever come this far with any girl. It wasn't until Lysithea came into his life that he ever felt desire before, and he decided he would let that desire and instinct be his guide.

Lysithea cupped his face and took a moment to study him. His eyes appeared as vacant as ever, but they betrayed the heat in his cheeks as they flushed. She had often wondered how his skin could be so warm despite the rather cold and aloof aura he exhibited before. Now she knew his secret, and she was quite proud of herself that she was able to elicit such a reaction from him; to warm his whole body up like this and know that she was responsible for it. His mouth hung open ever so slightly, awaiting her in anticipation, and, inhaling a deep breath and closing her eyes, she brought his lips over to his and engage in perhaps their most passionate kiss yet.

Byleth could taste what remained of the éclairs on those soft, pink lips, as it intermixed with the lingering tea still on his own. His pulsed quickened further as he felt his nerves begin to relax, her saliva slicking his normally dry lips. Her closed eyelashes mingled with his own and he had to force himself not to twitch at how ticklish it was. He could detect the faint scent of lilies and it only served to heighten his arousal as he felt his manhood slowly begin to rise. Prior kisses between them had never been so intoxicating to him before, and he yearned for more.

He brought his hands onto her hips and dragged her closer to him as he pressed into her lips a little more. His boldness caused her to let out a stifled squeak into his mouth, but she did not remove herself from his face and instead placed her hands on his broad shoulders to adjust. She was as much enthralled by the new level of intimacy with him, and to feel his rough, gloved hands on a place so tantalizing close to where she would have preferred enticed her to try something new. Ignoring the fluttering in her racing heart, she darted her tongue into his mouth and let it dance and swirl on his.

A jolt of electricity coursed through his body as Byleth's eyes shot open at the newest sensation. Her tongue was moving around in his mouth as if searching for something and knew that it had to be his. He wrenched his eyes shut and mimicked her tongue's actions and they soon began to roll and tumble together between their lips, awkwardly fumbling around until they found their rhythm. Byleth emitted a muffled grunt with each full pass around her tongue and she reciprocated with quiet moans for every one he uttered. The lewd noises let loose from their lips only further spurred them on and Byleth could feel the inferno growing hotter, no longer caressing him gently but something greater and it was stirring his groin into action. It encouraged him to pull her even closer until her delicate body was pressed against his.

Lysithea let out a startled gasp as she pulled her lips away from his. She felt something pushed up against her nether region and looked down in awe at the sight she saw. His manhood was bulging against his trousers and almost appeared to be straining against them. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She didn't think her body was anything special and when she thought of how Dorothea and Manuela were more endowed than she was she couldn't help but feel inadequate in comparison. To see the man she loved so much this aroused by having her so close to him alleviated that feeling. Her body was doing this to him and she felt that familiar sense of pride swell up within at the sight of her husband reacting like this because of her. She leaned her forehead against his and stared with round, half-lidded eyes.

"Take me," she whispered. Her voice was seductive, but firm, desiring what they were forced to put off for too long and unwilling to take "no" for an answer. It surprised Byleth that Lysithea of all people could sound in such a way and it only hardened his resolve. Whatever lingering doubts he had left dissipated, and he inched his hands to her bottom cheeks and squeezed just enough to elicit a surprised, but adorable squeak from his wife. They weren't as robust as others he could think of, but Byleth was enjoying how soft they felt and how his hands seemed to melt into them.

"As you say, my queen," he stated mischievously. Without warning Byleth turned and stood from his seat, bringing Lysithea with him as he did so. She let out a helpless cry at the sudden action and instinctively threw her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, clinging desperately to him, afraid she might be dropped.

"I-I can walk perfectly on my own," she halfheartedly protested as soon as he began taking his first few steps. Byleth only gazed at her briefly with a faint smile, and she could see deep beneath those pools of green that he knew she could, but wanted to keep her close to him and feel her body on his. To think that the man that was once as stoic as a rock could look at her in such a way. A rush of heat went from her heart and spread to every part of her body as she stared longingly into his eyes, forgetting her dislike of uncomfortable stares and wanting to cherish what was hers. This was a side to him that she had never seen him show to anyone else and she wanted him to only have those eyes for her.

As they walked toward what was once Rhea's, and now their, room she leaned her face in and pressed her lips against his for a passionate kiss. She extended her tongue into his mouth and found her prize awaiting her and began to dance more in tune with each other with one session of experience under their belts. He dug his fingers into her bottom cheeks just a little more and she let out a low moan into his mouth, pleased that he was touching her at long last. He brought her into him as much as he could so that there was no space between them, forcing a more drawn out moan from Lysithea as his erection pressed against her most private area. Against her tights he could feel a small amount of dampness building up around her loins causing the inferno in his chest to burn bright and urge him on.

After a short jaunt they finally made it to their room. It looked exactly as it did from when Rhea once occupied it, large and inviting, with the queen-sized bed nearly up against the opposite wall with its curtains drawn, bookshelves off to one side and a fireplace on the other. What remained of the daylight was peeking in through the closed curtains behind the bed and their room had become significantly darker as a result.

Noticing this, Byleth pulled his lips away from hers, a gasp of breath escaping from both of their mouths as a trail of saliva ajoined their bottom lips for a mere second before breaking away. She gazed back into his eyes with confusion and he motioned his head toward the windows. Nodding, she reluctantly released her hold on him and he set her down on the floor. Byleth made a move toward the windows and drew each one of their curtains open while Lysithea strolled over to the fireplace. She ignited the dry logs that had been placed there for the day with a simple fire spell, illuminating their room in its glow as the intensity of its heat blasted her.

Once their tasks were complete they hurriedly made their way over to their bed and sat on the edge next to each other, eager to resume where they left off as Lysithea cupped his face and pulled it to hers and once more engaged in another passionate kiss. This time Byleth's hands made his way over to the violet cloth that encompassed her neck and deftly unstrapped it. He dropped it onto the floor and was now prepared for an impulse he felt while locking his lips with hers. He took ahold of her waist to turn her torso to him and moved away once again, letting out a controlled breath of air as he did so.

Not content with just her lips anymore he leaned his head down and began to pepper kisses onto her now exposed neck. Lysithea issued stuttered gasps each time his lips met her naked flesh, shivering slightly at the latest sensation to overtake her. She was unused to being touched in such ways before and as they both were quickly discovering her body was sensitive to this kind of stimulation. She did not object to it and instead tilted her head back and allowed her lover to move more toward the center. Her neck tingled more as he planted his now thoroughly moistened lips on her, and she brought a hand to the back of his head while the other rested flat on the comforter. She ran her fingers through his hair and brought out strands between her digits.

"Byleth..." she breathed out like a prayer as he found his way to her collar, her eyes fluttering as he kissed the crook of her neck and feeling the tip of his tongue against her skin. He had never done anything like this before and he was doing his best to hide his inexperience, relying on instinct alone. Judging from the way Lysithea was reacting to his ministrations she sounded as if she was in heaven. He readily admitted that he felt the same way, the warmth from the inferno alighting something within him that he was at first puzzled by. It went beyond the caressing that it normally felt like when he felt love for her, and it evolved into something greater yet primal at the same time. Was this what lust felt like? The only concern he had then was to make sure to not succumb to it and focus on pleasuring his wife and avoid hurting her.

He felt a tiny push on his head as he kissed further toward the valley of her small breasts, briefly tasting the cold, beaded strap that extended across her chest from her sleeves. He brought one of his hands to the small of her back and brought her closer to him, allowing Lysithea to rest her chin on his head and take in his scent. She panted with urgency the closer he got to her breasts, the anticipation of when his lips would meet them was agonizing. So much so that she slid her hand across his head and directed him toward where she wanted him to go next.

Byleth was happy to oblige and when he moved over toward the top of her right breast, he bit down on the rim of her dress and inched it down enough to partially expose the mound to him. Lysithea issued a mewl as she felt his teeth against her skin, throwing her head back and her eyes closing tight. She uttered quieter moans as his lips traveled around her breast, but slowly became louder as the other hand still on her waist journeyed up her back and came to rest on the naked skin between her shoulders. He pulled her into him until their abdomens were touching, wanting to feel her body against his as he littered kisses across her cleavage, juggling between the exposed flesh of her right breast and the still covered left breast. The pleasurable sounds coming from his wife was an encouraging sign that he was doing a good job.

Lysithea was in a daze as her husband's lips danced across her breasts. No one had ever touched her like this before and she found herself in a state of near bliss as he worshiped her body. That there could be something more enthralling than well-baked sweets was unheard of to her, and yet her body shivered in his embrace as electricity ran throughout it. His scent continued to assail her senses, a mix of sweat and sweets that was uniquely his and she found herself enamored by it. That Byleth could be like this was still difficult to process, but she didn't care. All she could feel and all she could see was him and every thought was focused in their moment together. She yearned for more, for him, and she wanted to feel him as much as he was her.

She tentatively moved her other hand and brought it over to the large bulge in his trousers, wanting him to feel as equally pleasured as she was. Byleth stifled a moan as soon as he felt her soft palm against his groin, stopping for a brief moment at the sudden sensation, his mind blanking. Her fingers began to gently massage his clothed manhood, her hand barely able to cover the size of it, and he lifted his head away from her chest and back to her beautiful face. He plunged into her lips, reciprocating her earlier action by diving his own tongue into her mouth. Thin strands of saliva started to drip from their lower lips with how messy their kiss was and landed on their thighs. With each squeeze of her delicate fingers on his girth he let out muffled grunts in her mouth, and the uncharacteristic behavior from him only further aroused Lysithea, who responded with unsynchronized and desperate groans of her own.

Yet between them was a rising to desire to go further, over a year of sexual tension that needed to be addressed. Lysithea's tights were growing wetter by the minute to the point of being uncomfortable, and Byleth's inferno threatened to overtake him and burst forth.

When they finally pulled away from each other, they both let out gasps of air as their lungs cried out for them to stop. They could see each other's lust for one another deep within their eyes, and a silent message was sent between them. Returning their hands to themselves, Byleth stood up to begin undressing himself. First he removed his shoulder armor, lifting it over his head and placing it where her collar piece was a few feet away. Next was the belt that he deftly unstrapped with practiced precision and added it onto the growing pile of clothes on the floor. He hastily removed the bits and pieces of armor from his arms and legs and they fell onto the rug beneath their bed with a muffled thud, not wanting to have them resonate within the room. He tugged his boots off and tossed them over to a corner of the room, leaving him in nothing more than his shirt and trousers. Lysithea was been watching the spectacle with bated breath, grasping the sheets tightly and crossing her legs to try and contain her excitement.

It was when the shirt came off that Lysithea gasped at the sight. She had never seen his bare chest before and it was about as dreamy as she had expected it to be. He was not muscular like Raphael was, but his body was toned in all the right places, lean muscle that appeared taut and overdo for proper relaxation. Faint scars marked in his body in various places, disappearing trophies from years of conflict, but one in particular drew her attention. Her eyes widened with a mixture astonishment and worry as she gazed upon the largest scar that made a straight line down the valley of his pectorals and was about the size of her fist. It appeared charred as though it were just recently cauterized and she found herself drawn to it. She stood up and approached him, her eyes transfixed by the wound.

"That scar..." she muttered as she walked toward him, her voice one of deep concern. Byleth's eyes followed her until she came up mere inches from him. She placed one hand on his left pectoral allowing him to again feel her soft, warm, and delicate fingers against his bare skin and he shuddered at her touch. She hovered her other hand over his scar, and with her index finger she slowly traced it from top to bottom. He hissed between clenched teeth and his fingers flexed at her smooth touch against his fresh-looking wound. She retracted her hand immediately at his reaction and looked up at him with worry, afraid she may have overstepped a boundary. "That didn't hurt, did it?"

"N-no," he stated, his voice monotonous as he quickly recovered from the uncomfortable tingling. "It's just... ticklish."

Her eyes refocused on the scar, relived that he was okay. It appeared freshly healed and yet she knew where it came from and she couldn't help but look at it mournfully. "This is because of the Sword of the Creator's crest stone, isn't it?" She knew about the crest stone, Byleth having informed her almost immediately after Rhea revealed the truth of the matter to him. She was stunned when she learned it herself as it explained so much about his behavior and his history. Though Rhea did save his life, she couldn't help but feel as though Byleth may have been violated by the act, and the proof of it was right in front of her. "The heat from it won't let the scar heal..."

Byleth looked down so he could gaze upon it himself. He stared at it blankly, having grown use to the wound over the course of his life and how it no longer held any mystery. "I had always wondered how I came to have this. I asked my father how I got it, but he only furrowed his brow and answered with 'I don't know, kid.' Knowing what I do now, this is probably what finally lead him to set fire to the monastery many years ago and steal me away."

She placed a comforting hand on his bare waist as she looked back into his eyes sympathetically, their gazes interlocking. Behind the empty façade his eyes displayed, she saw far enough into them to see a hint of sorrow. "And you had to live with it ever since... Does its sensitivity bother you at all?"

He shook his head. "I'm used to it. It tingles whenever I bathe, but aside from that it never registers for me."

She looked back at the scar and her eyebrows furrowed in contempt. "A permanent reminder of something you never asked for." Seeing his own surgical scar reminded her too much of the ones she bared and how she came to have them. Memories of her captors forcefully dragging her from her room to the cellar, their knives cutting into her skin, ignoring her screams and pleas for them to stop. They treated her as less than human, not a person worth being concerned over and only to be used to further their own goals. She had taken some grim satisfaction exterminating them as she avenged the siblings and cousins she lost just so she could become proof that bearing two Crests was possible. Proof that was removed over two years ago thanks to their efforts.

Yet her scars weren't the only thing his own reminded her of. Upon learning of how he came to have a crest stone in place of a heart, she felt closer to him than ever before. His circumstances were different of course, what with his life being restored rather than tormented, but there was more to it than that. He also had a Crest implanted in him without his permission along with the stone. Rhea planned to use him as a vessel for the progenitor god, perhaps ending his life all over again or merging with the goddess herself. He, too, was being used by some other power to further their own goals, unconcerned about his opinion on the matter.

Lysithea wrenched her eyes shut and pressed her fingers on his skin. That was one reason why she wanted to be with him. He knew what it was like to be used. Who gave those people the right to play Goddess? She eased her fingers again as she took solace in the fact that they were no longer around to do it again. They were free to lead their own lives now, and she was happy to get to spend it with someone who understands her.

"Lysa?" he uttered, confused on what she was thinking about. Lysithea's eyes drifted to one side, hardening with resolve. She wanted him to see that which she guarded the most, the results of her experimentation that marked her body. She returned her attention and stared deeply into his eyes, her own becoming teary and glistening against the fire behind him. He raised his eyebrows with concern at the sight of her round eyes quivering back at him.

"I need to show you something." She took a few steps away and began to undo her own clothes. She unlatched the beaded string across her chest and let her shawl drop to the floor. She hovered a hand over the end of one of her sleeves and hesitated for a moment, unsure of just how he would react when he saw what she had in store. Letting out a quiet puff, she pulled the sleeve off her arm and also let it drop to the floor, then repeated the motion to its twin. Her shoes followed suit as she unstrapped them and placed them beside her feet. She hesitated again as her hands went under her dress, grabbing at the hem of her tights before pulling them down to the floor and stepping out of them. Now in nothing but her dress and her plain, white smallclothes, she closed her eyes for a moment, avoiding looking at him until she mustered the courage and gazed into him forlornly.

"Lysithea..." he muttered in dismay, his eyes widening at the sight of her bare arms and legs. Numerous scars covered both sets of limbs, every one of them going up and down the length, some short and others long. All of them appeared faded, but with the light of the fire shining upon her creamy skin they were displayed prominently for Byleth to see. The flame in his chest shrank as he beheld his wife in near full view. "This explains why you've never worn anything that revealed your arms or legs, even in the summer months."

She hummed solemnly and nodded. "They are my own permanent reminder of those who slither in the dark's blood experiments. I have to keep them clothed constantly or risk drawing too much attention to myself. It would dredge up too many terrible memories of those dastards cutting me open and..." She couldn't finish her sentence as she did just that. The memories of lying on a wooden table, staring emptily at the ceiling with those who slither in the dark's mages looming over her. When the knives appeared, that was when the screaming and pleading began, but to no avail as their blades cut into her flesh, enchanted to prevent her from bleeding out. Their procedures felt like they went on for hours, and it was only when she was finally led back to her chambers was when she was made aware of the passage of time. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she recollected those terrible times.

"Wouldn't your scars have healed over time?" Byleth asked gently, taking one step closer to her as he saw he in distress.

"No," she whispered, trying to control herself and fight back sobs. "Their knives were enchanted to staunch my bleeding, but the cost was that their incisions would never fully heal." She sniffled before inadvertently averting her eyes, suddenly feeling self-conscious about her body as he looked upon her. "You must think me so ugly, now that you've seen my body like this..."

It was only a second before she felt Byleth's arms wrap around her waist and pull her toward him for a soothing embrace. Her eyes shot open as he pressed her against him, her head resting up on his pectoral while his arms went up to the bare portion of her back to begin massaging it. His body felt warm to the touch, and she could feel the heat of the crest stone resonating from his chest as intensely as an inferno. She loved being wrapped in his lean arms. It made her heart flutter whenever he did, and up against his bare chest like this heightened the effect. Most importantly though, being in his arms like this made her feel safe.

"You are not ugly, Lysithea," he assured her and kissing the top of her head. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. No amount of scarring will ever change that, nor will they change how I feel about you." She felt so small in his arms despite being near his height, but it was so comforting to hold her like this. It was in these moments that he felt an overwhelming sense of protection toward her. The experience she had with those who slither in the dark was enough to make him enraged with what they did to her, and he didn't spare a second thought for them as they cut them down in Shambala. He was glad those monsters were gone from the world.

Her arms came around his waist and latched on tightly to him as she returned his embrace. A small smile crept on her face as the tears from earlier streaked down her cheeks.

"Thank you, Byleth," she whispered. He brought one of his hands to her chin and gripped it lightly. She read the gesture easily and he brought his lips to hers for a warm kiss. While his lips were locked with hers, he brought his hands to her own waist, feeling the curves of her body for just a moment before slowly pulling her dress down until it fell of its own volition. She did not resist him and instead dug more deeply into their kiss, their lips becoming slick with saliva as her passion and desire for him reignited within her. He hooked his thumbs on the sides of her smallclothes and he pulled them down to her thighs before letting gravity finish the work. They let out a gasp as he broke away from her lips to catch their breath.

Byleth stepped back to admire his wife's naked body. It always startled him to see just how curvy she was and he enjoyed how his hands seems to conform around her waist. Her breasts were nowhere near the size of some of the other girls he met, but that was of little concern to him. Her belly was flat but looked soft to the touch, not lean like his was but not unfit either. At her most sacred place was a patch of fine, white hair that surrounded the top of her folds that were themselves slick with her nectar from earlier and tracing partway down her thighs. Noticeably absent from her torso were any scars like those that tattooed her limbs.

As Byleth became enraptured by her he could feel his member pressing against his trousers uncomfortably, straining against the fabric and reminding him of what he wanted to do. He grabbed ahold of his trousers and dropped them to the floor, soon followed by his black smallclothes. He picked them up and tossed them over to where the rest of their clothes lay.

Lysithea's eyes went wide at the sight of his fully erect member and her face flushed furiously. It was larger than she imagined it to be, with a tuft of coarse, green hair partially encircling it. She had never seen anything like it before, and to know that it was his and what he planned on doing with it made her heart race. He approached her again and placed his hands on her hips, his private pushing up against her own and she couldn't help but whimper at the feeling of his member touching her slick entrance. She looked back up at him in wonder and all he did was smile reassuringly at her as though she was a goddess.

"Let me prove my words to you," he said, his voice low and husky. Lysithea felt a burst of heat flow through body at the way he sounded, but didn't have enough time to think of it before she found herself being lifted up again in a bridal carry, her arms immediately throwing themselves around his neck for support. Though she wished he would warn her ahead of time, she decided that now was not the time for protest and in fact found herself becoming infatuated by his boldness and tone.

Byleth carried her over and lay her gently on their bed, resting her head on a pillow. He positioned himself above her, placing both hands on either side of her and leaned in for another chaste kiss. As he pulled away he could see Lysithea was breathing quickly as they locked eyes, wondering just what her husband was about to do next. He went back down and trailed kisses from her cheek and down to the crook of neck, bringing out those low moans that he enjoyed so much as he moved further down her body. When he finally arrived at his destination, he put his plan into action as his mouth went to her right breast and completely covered its pert nipple.

Lysithea's eyes shot open before wrenching themselves tight again. Her back arched slightly at the feeling of his warm, wet mouth lovingly suckling on her breast like a newborn babe. She let out a loud groan as his tongue swirled around her areola and her hand went to the back of his head, digging into his hair. She panted rapidly with the occasional squeak slipping out when his tongue touched her nipple or when his mouth pulled up on it just a bit, for what they lacked in size they made up for in sensitivity.

She had no idea Byleth could do something like this to her, to so quickly become putty in his hands and she was loving every moment of it. To think that the stoic, stony-faced mercenary she first met over seven years ago could become like this, someone who could be so caring and yet so bold and just as submissive to his primal instincts as anyone else was. He did not wear his emotions on his sleeve, so in moments like these she knew every word and affection was genuine, and it was all for her.

One of his hands made its way over to her still uncovered breast and began to fondle it while his mouth continued to work itself over her other one. She let out a yelp as his hot, broad palm touched and teased her, caressing it and giving it a rare squeeze to further elicit more of those wonderful noises. Her free hand went to the side and her fingers dipped into the sheets as her body shivered at his ministrations. Her body was growing hotter by the minute, and she could feel beads of sweat developing on her temple as he went on.

The inferno was burning within Byleth's chest and spread throughout his body as he tenderly played with Lysithea's breasts, begging him to go further as his manhood twitched in excitement with each groan that escaped her lips. His mind was becoming a daze as he worshiped his wife, all other worldly thoughts dissipated and could only see and feel her. He was enjoying this as much as she was, having never once cared for sex before, but he was now regretting that once errant thought as he handled her breasts. He had to keep himself in control though as he did not want to be too hasty in his foreplay, holding out for his sake and hers. Despite the lustful haze he was entering the one thought still on his mind was his unwillingness to cause any undue harm to her. That, and the desire to pleasure Lysithea as much as possible to demonstrate his adoration for her.

An idea crossed his mind and he decided to take the risk as he nibbled down on her nipple and pulled ever so slightly. Her back arched even more as she let out a cry, electricity jolting through her body as his teeth held onto her sensitive teat. Byleth felt as if he may have gone a little too far, but her hold on his head only tightened as her fingers clamped down and clutched at thick strands of hair. Her breast was becoming quite wet with saliva, and thin strands of it were slinking down the side and staining the sheet below. Since she did not protest his love nibble, he decided to do so again.

"Byleth!" she cried out as his teeth once more sank into her nipple. It was a time like this that they were glad to be on the third floor of the reception hall, far and away from any prying ears that could hear their love-making. Her hand on the bed clutched a fistful of sheets as she began to feel a pressure building up within her.

Her eyes finally back shot open again as she felt his remaining hand go down to her womanhood and began stroking her crevice, feeling the increasingly slick folds that were becoming plump the longer he kept up his teasing. Unable to keep her eyes open much longer, she forced them shut and could no longer hold back moaning loudly as his longest fingers went up and down and coated her entire pussy in her juices. Her grip on him and the bed grew stronger as she pressed him into her chest and desperately brought up more of the bedding. She tried to cross her thighs but it did nothing for her as he continued to stroke her, occasionally bending his middle finger a bit deeper into her and causing her to issue a stuttered groan.

Byleth could sense his control was starting to slip as he listened to the erotic sounds coming from her mouth and the feel of her nectar coating his fingers as his palm brushed her folds. It felt sticky on his hand, but incredibly warm and he found himself liking the feeling and wanting more of it. His hand started to move faster and it only caused her moans to turn into cries as he stimulated her and wetting his fingers to the point that the entire undersides of them were covered. The inferno was burning to the point that even he was beginning to sweat as he kept up his pace.

Lysithea lay there crying out in delight as her body was hanging on for dear life as Byleth vigorously teased her. She was entering into a state of near-bliss as she writhed under his touch, thrashing her head side to side and wondered if this was what heaven felt like. The strange pressure was building up more than ever and slowly started to spread out. How his mouth sucked on her breast while his tongue swirled around on it, how his hand on her other breast fondled and kneaded at it and giving the erect nipple a flick or two, and now his other hand coating her soaked pussy to the point that some of it was trickling down to the sheets below. It was all becoming too much for her to handle, but she didn't want it to stop and found herself rocking into his hand, burning to feel more of his fingers on her pussy.

When Byleth remembered something from one of the books he read, he brought the edge of his palm down onto the nub of the roof of her folds and rubbed it along with her slit. A final jolt sent a shockwave through Lysithea as she arched her back and curled her toes in. Her body tensed up as wave after wave of pleasure overcame her as heat matching his inferno engulfed her. She let out her loudest groan yet as the ecstasy of her climax overwhelmed her and she sprayed her juices on his entire hand while some of it pooled below. His efforts gradually died down through it all until her grip on his head loosened and her body went limp.

Lysithea stared up at the canopy of their bed as she panted heavily trying to catch her breath from her first ever orgasm, her chest heaving as she filled her lungs with air. Her legs felt numb and she could barely feel her feet as she recovered. She admitted to herself that she was wrong, that was what heaven felt like. She never thought there would be something in the world so much better than sweets, but this easily took the cake.

Byleth adjusted himself to lean in and give a quick kiss to which she was coherent enough to return. They looked at each other with half-lidded eyes and she could feel his hot breath against her face.

"How was it?" he asked.

"Like nothing... I ever felt before..." she replied between breaths with a smile on her face. "But I have not forgotten... why we're doing this..." She leaned herself up a little and flung her arms around him, bringing her face right up to his. "I need to feel you... inside me."

Byleth nodded and Lysithea lowered herself back down, her breaths becoming more even for the time being. Byleth sat upright and she could see his curved cock throbbing with anticipation and her breath hitched as she began preparing herself for what was to come. Byleth grabbed ahold of his member and planted his other hand near her head as he leaned over her. He brought the tip of the head to her drenched sex, causing her body to tense up and breathing to quicken as she awaited him. He brushed it up and down to test his alignment along her soaked slit and making Lysithea hiss before biting down on her lip.

"Are you ready?" he muttered. Lysithea nodded and he parted her lower lips as he slowly insert himself into her. She moaned sharply with every inch that passed through her, her muscles growing more tense as she processed what was happening. Her beloved was entering her and her feet strained as any bracing she had done to prepare was swiftly fading away. She took fistfuls of bedding into her hands and tilted her head back as he went in deeper still, her body coming to life as the sensation swept her and threaten to carry her away.

Byleth wrenched his eyes shut and gritted his teeth at just how unfathomably tight she was, her slick and velvety walls doing little to relieve the grip they had on him. It was unbearably hot inside of her, and with the intense heat the flame was bringing him he was already beginning to feel his body moisten with sweat. He was growing delirious at this new and incredible pleasure that threatened the inferno to take over and drive him wild. Letting out a guttural groan he gave one final push and buried himself completely inside her.

Lysithea's eyes were forced open as she tried to cry out from her hymen being breached but all that escaped her lips was a struggled gasp. The pain that seared through her was like being punctured by a lance straight up her center, yet mixed in with it was an equal amount of pleasure that help to dull the pain. Hot tears formed at her eyes as she took in the sensation of her first time, leaving her shaking with her back arched once more, dragging the bedding with her as she rose.

"Lysithea?!" he said alarmingly as his own eyes opened, fearing that he did exactly what he didn't want to do. He looked down to where they were joined and could see blood trickling onto his member. "Are you all right?!"

"Don't... worry about me!" she protested. "I can handle this, I... Ah, y-yes!" Lysithea was too busy reveling at the feeling of his length buried deep within her as the insane amount of pain and pleasure overwhelming her kept her in their clutches. Her thighs squeezed up against his as she ached for some small amount of composure.

Byleth held himself there for a brief moment with gritted teeth as he let her settle in while trying to take all of her in himself. He could feel the same amount of pleasure she was feeling as her walls enclosed around his rod, threatening to clamp down at any moment and drain him for everything he had. He could not sit there for long though as the inferno demanded he go on lest it do it for him.

Not wanting to lose control of himself, he began thrusting at a slow and steady pace to ease themselves into it, listening to her low moans as their hips met. Lysithea bent her legs at the knees and planted her feet to better support herself. Her mind was still trying to process the sensory overload she was experiencing as her husband stretched her insides, thrusting back and forth into her, kissing her cervix each time with each wet slap of their bodies before ultimately forgoing any further thought and letting herself succumb to their lovemaking.

Lysithea's arms came up his back and urged him to come closer, desperate to feel him inside and out. Byleth complied and lay atop his wife, allowing her to fully wrap him in her embrace and digging her fingers into his shoulders. He could feel her small breasts squishing into him as they rubbed against his chest, adding fuel to the flame and heightening the immense pleasure he was undergoing. He opened his eyes part way to see Lysithea gazing passionately back at him, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes from the euphoria. He wanted her to be the happiest woman in the world and to see her in such a state only drove him onward.

He crashed his lips into hers for a deep and loving kiss as his rhythmic motions increased in tempo. Her muffled cries echoed into his mouth, enticing him to let out groans of his own as their tongues clashed for dominance. He could feel his wife's hand slide its way up his neck and running through his hair, pushing him as far as possible into her puffy, soaking lips. He cupped a hand on her cheek, bringing some of her hair with it as he took in her scent, the earlier smell of lilies now mixed in with her sweat and the smell of her nectar from below.

Lysithea felt like she was floating on air as he continued to pound into her. Her body was on fire, and her ears were assailed with the erotic sounds of her nectar around her nether regions squelching with each of his thrusts and their muffled groans as their lips left no room for air. Whatever worries she had disappeared and all she saw now was him, all she felt was him, and all she thought of was him. She wanted to hold onto him and never let him go, the man who never gave up on her, who loved her with all his "heart" and was demonstrating it for her now. The tears streaked down her eyes as she truly realized how happy she was that there was someone like him in the world, and that they belonged to each other.

Byleth too had never felt so amazing in his whole life. His body felt incredibly hot like sitting in the sauna, but not unbearably so. The tightness he felt on his member from her velvet walls squeezing and sucking on it was unlike anything he ever dreamed of. He had very quickly come to love this feeling that spread across his entire being and knew that at some point he would want to enjoy this again. Yet what made it perfect was that he was sharing this amazing experience with the woman that had somehow manage to awaken the emotions that had been repressed for so long by his crest stone heart. He had felt love and lust for the first time because of her, and he wanted to show how grateful he was by ensuring that she would have the time of her life.

Their lips eventually pulled away as their lungs begged them for relief. Without his mouth acting as a pacifier, her loud cries of pleasure fell directly into his ears. Her voice was resounding off the walls of their room along with the cacophony of their wet nether regions smacking into each other as he drilled into her deepest reaches at a rapid pace.

Night had fallen at this point and the darkness of outside added to the intimacy that the once virgin lovers were enjoying. The fireplace was doing more than its fair share of keeping the room illuminated and displaying the beads of sweat that were forming on their bodies of which it was partially the cause of.

Byleth was beginning to pant heavily as he eased his hands off the sheets and propped himself on his arms instead. He was going as fast as he could possibly muster and he realized he was not prepared for just how much it would drain him. Perhaps in his haste to avoid losing control he tired himself out. He reluctantly slowed down his pace as he tried to gather his strength up while still trying to please her. Her voice died down along with his speed which had the benefit of no longer deafening his ears.

"Don't stop..." she begged him, keenly aware of the relaxed pace they were now in. The strange pressure had returned and she was getting close, having restrained herself as much as she could for both of their sake. She wanted to absorb him for as long as possible, but she had her limits and their prior speed was bringing her to the brink and she wanted to explode.

"I... ca-..." he tried to reply, but he was too busy trying to fill his lungs. He could fight through battles and never break a sweat, but this was a test of endurance he was ill-prepared for and he was just now discovering this.

"Then let me take over, my love," she whispered sultrily. She motioned her arms for him to flip over and he nodded in understanding. Slinking his arms underneath her, he rolled around onto his back and relaxed his head against a pillow, his sword still fully sheathed in her scabbard. The feeling of their liquids was a bit uncomfortable against his bottom, having pooled beneath them during their session, but he didn't care. In his lustful daze all he could see and feel was her.

She yelped at the throbbing she felt inside as she adjusted to their new position. In truth she had wanted to do this for some time, not wanting him to be the only one contributing to the sensual dance their bodies were engaging in. She was a grown woman capable of pleasing her man just as much as he was doing to her, but in her foggy mind the thought disappeared. It was only when he started to slow down was when it came racing back into her mind. Now it was her turn to demonstrate her love for him.

Placing her hands on his chest to steady herself, she closed her eyes and immediately got to work. She started off at a methodical pace, not only to ease herself back into it and get comfortable in their new position, but to savor his length sliding against her tight creases as her walls desperately clutched onto it. She came up almost to the very end of his head before ramming herself back down, each time letting out a shriek as it hit against her womb. Droplets of her nectar sprinkled out and landed on his bare stomach each time she came down on his groin.

With his wife taking over, Byleth allowed himself to simply lay back and enjoy the view as Lysithea rode him hard. He was entranced by the way her small breasts bounced vigorously up and down with each swift and hard thrust she made. Her hair cascaded in waves as she landed on him like a white tide coming to shore. He never would have imagined that the woman who placed such high expectations of herself could become so disheveled and frantic at their copulation. And he was loving every minute of it.

Byleth could feel his member throbbing inside of her as he felt an unusual pressure welling within him. He began to pant himself as he worked his way towards his release, and it only encouraged Lysithea to go even faster. His energy had returned and he began to add his own thrusts to hers, starting off unsynced at first, but gradually matching her movement over time. He reached for her hands and interlaced her fingers with his which she provided no resistance to.

Her husband's thrusts into her were only adding to the indescribable sensation that was spreading throughout her body as she felt her own release on its way. She was glad that he decided to want to hold hands as they worked their way to reaching their climax together. That was what she always wanted. To be together in every imaginable way possible, from their shared experiences, to being husband and wife, to engaging in the epitome of their marriage. And now they were joined in the best way possible, and there was only one thing left to do to make their special day together complete and she wanted to hold on to him as they became one.

"Byleth!" she shouted. "I... I can feel it coming back again! I'm so close!"

"So... s-so can I..." he stammered between breaths.

"T-together! Let's do it together!" Lysithea bounced and slammed down on her husband with fervor, the crescendo of sharp and wet slaps reverberating throughout their room as she urgently sought her sweet release. Byleth met her violent pace with rapid thrusts as his body tingled and sweat slinked down his body. They stared at each other with desperate, passionate gazes as their fingers tightened into the other, with happy tears developing in Lysithea's glistening rosy eyes. They wanted to see the person they loved most to be the last thing they saw before their moment arrived, to know how amazing they felt from their consummation.

They screamed each other's names as Lysithea came down for one final smack. Every one of her muscles went taut again as another orgasm raced through her, more powerful than the last. She shuddered uncontrollably as her pussy clamped down on his member like a vice. Her grip on his hands strained as she arched her back suddenly, throwing her head backward and crying out at the intense pleasure. They kept smacking into each as she climaxed, but she was completely unaware of it as her mind went blank from the euphoria she was feeling.

The sudden tightness around his cock became too much for him to bear, and during his wife's moment of pure bliss he unleashed his load deep into her womb with a roar, thrusting his hips into the air lifting her along with them. His vision blurred as he shot a torrent of his hot seed into her as he became wrapped up in the same ecstasy that she was experiencing, his legs and feet going numb while his toes extended outward. The inferno raged inside him as he climaxed and for a fleeting moment he thought he might die from the searing heat.

After several seconds of tasting rapture together her movements hurriedly came to a stop. Lysithea felt herself grow weak and slowly lowered herself onto his bare chest, coherent enough not to place her head on his scar and cause him any unnecessary discomfort. Byleth wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace as he pet her veil in aftercare as he stared at the canopy in a daze. They were both a panting mess as they sought to recover and collect themselves from their first time. A cocktail of cum, blood, and her own juices oozed out of her causing her body to shiver and legs to twitch occasionally. His length was still buried inside her, but she didn't mind at all. She had quickly come to love the feeling of him inside her, the feeling of being one.

"That was..." Byleth managed to breath out. "Unbelievable." He understood now why people thought so much of sex. The mercenaries in his father's company would talk about it frequently, sometimes making lewd remarks about the various women they saw at taverns, but he never thought it all that interesting. Now that he had had it himself he enjoyed the stimulation it brought to his otherwise stoic mannerisms, to simply let it all go and indulge in baser instincts, albeit still maintaining control for his partner's sake.

"It... truly was," Lysithea cooed as she lightly rubbed his chest, "That felt incredible... for our first time." Her panting was beginning to gradually die down as she relaxed and nestled herself into him. No training exercise had ever left her so exhausted before, yet beyond that lethargy was contentment. This was something that she once thought was beyond her, out of reach that others could enjoy, but not her. Yet ever since her Crests were removed her life had suddenly taken a dramatic turn for the better. She could live a life she once only ever dreamed of, to do those things others could do, and not have to worry about leaving it all behind. That she got to spend that life with the one who gave it to her made it all the more worthwhile.

They lay their in silence for a time as they regained their composure, faint smiles tracing their lips as they basked in each other's presence. The fire cackled and flickered as it began to die out and the pale moonlight came to life to replace it, providing an otherworldly glow to the slowly darkening room. Neither of them knew how long they made love for, and frankly they didn't care. The problems of the world seemed so far away and all that still mattered right now was each other. They weren't about to let reality settle back in; it was still their anniversary after all.

Their quiet time gave Lysithea a moment to reflect on their earlier conversation, and she came to realize just how close the two of them were, in more ways than one. They had been through so much during the course of their lives, shared similar experiences, and worked closely together during the school year and the Three House War. Perhaps that was why she felt so close to him, so bonded. They were united by their experiences, from them being experimented on by those with ulterior motives, to exacting vengeance upon those that took away whom they loved. She wondered if Byleth had felt the same way and decided to voice her query.

"Byleth?" she said with a dash of concern. She raised her head to rest her chin on him.

"Hmm?" he murmured as he tilted down to meet her gaze. "Is something the matter Lysithea?"

"No, it's just... I was just thinking about how connected we truly are." She paused for a brief second before realizing something. "A-and not because you're still buried inside me!"

Byleth forced himself to stifle a chortle. "Do you want me to take it out?"

"N-no I... like this feeling and..." Her brows knotted in frustration as her face went flush. "Th-that's not what this is about!"

Byleth smirked briefly at just how cute she could be when she was flustered. "I'm sorry. What do you mean by 'how connected we truly are'?"

She sighed before allowing herself to continue. "I mean... you and I are very similar in many aspects. We're both hardworking individuals, and we strive to always perform our best no matter what the situation may be. But I like to believe our bond goes far beyond that."

Byleth raised a curious eyebrow. "How so?"

Lysithea was a little dismayed at the question. Guess he hadn't thought of it after all, but then she found herself encouraged that there was something he didn't know about them and was eager to tell him. "It goes back to our earlier conversation regarding our scars. You were used as an experiment by Rhea to revive Sothis, and I was an experiment to those who slither in the dark to prove if a body can have two Crests. We both know what it is like to be used with such disregard by others and have it be beyond our control."

"Ah. I'm starting to see what you mean. We have a deeper understanding of each other than the rest because of our prior histories."

She nodded, glad that he was catching on quickly, but then she didn't doubt he would. "Yes, and I think that was why I always felt so... drawn toward you. I already respected you when you were my professor of course, but when..." Her mood suddenly darkened as she turned melancholy. "When your hair and eyes changed color, I was... afraid for you. That was when I began to suspect that you had been subjected to someone's cruel experiment like I was. I thought that suddenly you would suffer the same fate as me and die young too. I never wanted that to happen to anyone else, and... least of all you."

He stroked her hair as he gave her a reassuring smile. "Fortunately that doesn't seem to be the case. Still, it is nice to think about how special our bond is, how 'connected' we are, as you say. Claude said something similar to me before the Battle of Garreg Mach."

Lysithea's eyes flashed at the news, a bit crestfallen that it wasn't the first time he heard these sentiments. "Because of how closely the two of you worked together..."

"Yes, but what we have I believe goes beyond that. Claude was not an experiment like we were, and he did not have a personal reason to wipe out those who slither in the dark like we did. They stole our family members away from us, and together we made sure they would never do it again."

He brought the hand on her back to clutch at one of hers. "But I had another reason to kill them all. I was furious about what they did to you; I had never felt so much anger before, not since when we cornered Solon and Kronya in the Sealed Forest. I had my own vengeance drive me to do what we did, and I wanted to join you in yours, which was why I wanted the two of us to fight side by side as we made our way through Shambala." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "What they did to you was cruel and unthinkable, and I promise you that I will never let that happen to you again."

Tears formed in her eyes at his words. While she knew it wouldn't happen again now that they were gone, she appreciated them regardless. "I'm so glad you came into my life, my love. I can't imagine where I would be right now were it not for you. I just... I just wish it were under better circumstances..." The tears streaked down her cheeks as her lower lip began to quiver. Byleth brought his thumb to one cheek and brushed them away, then moved to the other.

"I prefer to see the silver lining in this," he said soothingly. She blinked away more tears as she saw him give a caring and comforting smile.

"The silver lining?" she asked meekly.

He nodded. "Yes. Had it not been for those experiments, we would have never met."

Lysithea let out a giggle. Sometimes he had the oddest ways of reassuring her, but then she always knew him to be unusual. It was just one more thing she loved about him.

She leaned in and their lips came together for a long, warm kiss. There was no clashing of tongues this time, only a silent promise to continue to love and respect one another, to always support each other no matter how dire the situation may be, and to remain together for as long as their lives would last them.

After their lips parted, Lysithea nuzzled against her husband's collar while he moved his hand up to the back of her head. They would gladly welcome their child into the world, and though both felt a pang of uncertainty at the prospect of being parents, it was overshadowed by their desire to have something they both once thought out of reach.

"I love you, Byleth." she muttered happily as she closed her eyes.

"I love you too, Lysa." he replied in kind. "Happy anniversary."

She smiled brilliantly. "Happy anniversary." Drowsiness overtook them and they soon drifted off to sleep. Reality would return tomorrow, but neither of them minded. They were both looking forward to what the future held for them and they would face it as they always did: together.

* * *

**Early Christmas present! This took longer than I thought it would, so I apologize for no fourth chapter of Chasing the Dawn before X-mas like I said I would. I was dedicated to writing this out, and now that it's finished I can go back to committing to my other work.**

**I really enjoyed writing this as I had been dying to write some post-war smut between these two. However I didn't want it to be purely smut so that's why there is something of slow burn at the beginning, but fluff is good too right? Anywho, Chapter 4 of CtD will be uploaded soon so expect it in the coming weeks!**


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